Your medication
Help with medicines
- Medicine tips for carers
- Find a pharmacy
- Help for problems swallowing pills
You may be taking several different medicines. Your medicines and the doses must be reviewed regularly. Your practice team will ask you for information to help them do this:
- Have a blood test at least annually if this is suggested
- Have a blood pressure check every 6 months if you are on blood pressure medication
- Have your annual chronic disease review (such as diabetes or asthma) with the practice nurse
- We will write reminders to do this on your repeat prescription that should come in the bag with your tablets. If you are not sure, please ask the pharmacist to show you
Based on this information, your GP will review your medications when they are requested. They may recommend alternative medicines or lower doses, or sometimes suggest the medicine is stopped altogether. They may also ask you to book a routine phone call to discuss your medicines.
Your pharmacist should be the first port of call to help you with queries you might have about your medicines. They are experts on medicines and often have extended opening hours and no appointment is necessary.
Don’t simply stop taking a prescribed medicine if you are worried about side effects. If you think a medicine is causing side effects (perhaps dizziness, a fuzzy head, dry mouth, loss of appetite, nausea or constipation), speak to a pharmacist. They may suggest stopping, if safe to do so, until you can arrange an alternative with your GP.
You should see your GP, nurse or pharmacist if they request that you do so, or if you are concerned about the medicines you are taking.